This invention relates to a cassette transfer unit associated with a cassette container for transferring a selected one of the cassettes from and into the cassette container.
Cassette autochangers have been used for a continuous tape cassette reproduction over a long period of time. Such a cassette autochanger includes a cassette container, a tape recorder/player unit, and a cassette transfer or carrying unit. The cassette container contains a number of tape cassettes placed in position within it. A plurality of tape recorder/player units may be juxtaposed in the cassette autochanger. The cassette carrying means includes a cassette holder for transferring a cassette between the cassette container and the tape recorder/player unit. The cassette holder has a cassette chamber into which a tape cassette is inserted from the cassette container or the tape recorder/player unit and from which the tape cassette is discharged into the cassette container or the tape recorder/player unit.
For example, Japanese Patent Kokai No. 1-243365 discloses a set of feed belts used to transfer a tape cassette into and from the cassette holder. However, this conventional arrangement is not reliable since the tape cassette is transferred merely by the function of the frictional forces between the tape cassette and the feed belts. In order to achieve ideal frictional forces, it is required to equalize the height of the tape cassette to that of the cassette chamber of the cassette holder. However, this is impossible in practice and some different exists between these heights. Furthermore, the ideal frictional forces cannot be obtained even when the heights are substantially the same if friction particles are produced between the tape cassette and the feed belts.